Addictions News Now: Current Issue
June 2009
Americans Overwhelmingly Support Including Addiction Care in Healthcare Reform
House Passes Department of Justice Appropriations Bill; MIOTCRA and Drug Courts Included in Funding
Army Cracks Down as Drug and Alcohol Cases Rise
Video Training Series: Understanding the Federal Drug & Alcohol Confidentiality Regulations
New Web-Based Evaluation Tool for Drug and DWI Courts
38th Annual Summer Clinical Institute in Addiction Studies
NIATx/SAAS Addiction Benchmarking InitiativeSurvey
Americans Overwhelmingly Support Including Addiction Care in Healthcare Reform
Almost three-quarters of Americans support including alcohol and other drug treatment in national healthcare reform to make it more affordable, and two-thirds of survey participants (68 percent) support increasing the amount of federal and state funding for preventing and treating addiction, according to a new poll by the Closing the Addiction Treatment Gap (CATG) initiative. It is up to us – providers, advocates, individuals in recovery and family and friends – to carry this message to Capitol Hill in the coming months. As lawmakers continue deliberations on the content of healthcare reform legislation and make decisions about funding for key federal programs within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, they must hear from constituents about their support for including coverage for addiction and mental health services on par with other health conditions in healthcare reform without arbitrary care limitations and for continued investment in the crucial safety net funding for the under and uninsured. Are you doing your part? Sign up here for National Council Action Alerts to make your voice heard.
Alexa Eggleston
Director of Public Policy
ON THE HILL
Healthcare Reform Deliberations Continue; Outcome and Timing Unclear
The Senate and House both continue to make progress in the move to enact legislation to reform aspects of the healthcare system this year. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee and the three House Committees with jurisdiction over healthcare (Education and Labor, Energy and Commerce, and Ways and Means) have each released a version of a bill and have begun hearings to review and offer amendments to the draft legislation. Fortunately, both bills have included mental health and substance use disorder benefits as part of the “essential benefits package” – which is a good start. There is more work to be done to ensure that these illnesses and the providers who offer care for them are not left out of major initiatives including those related to Health Information Technology, prevention and workforce development.
The remaining bill yet to be released, which is still in development, is the anxiously awaited Senate Finance bill, which will begin to outline additional strategies for how Congress intends to pay for healthcare reform. Progress on the bill slowed when the $1.6 trillion price tag was released and the Committee has spent recent weeks attempting to trim $600 billion from the bill. Despite reducing the cost to approximately $1 trillion over ten years, Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus estimated the bill would still provide health insurance coverage for most Americans, somewhere in the high 90 percent range. Details of the bill are expected to be released after the July 4th recess. For complete coverage of the healthcare reform debate and implications for mental health and substance use disorder policy and practice issues please stay tuned to the National Council's weekly Public Policy Update and read an updated version of our Healthcare Reform Agenda.
National Council and Other Advocates Host Briefing on Chronic Disease Management for Alcohol and Drug Problems
On June 11, 2009, the National Council, Faces and Voices of Recovery, State Associations of Addiction Services, Therapeutic Communities of America, and the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors Inc. (NASADAD) hosted a Congressional briefing highlighting the cost savings derived from providing comprehensive treatment services and supports to individuals with addiction disorders
David L. Rosenbloom, PhD of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) highlighted CASA’s latest report, Shoveling Up II: The Impact of Substance Abuse on Federal, State, and Local Budgets, which found that federal, state, and local governments spend $467.7 billion as a result of untreated substance abuse and addiction or 10.7% of their entire budgets for the year.
Panelists included:
- Michael L. Dennis, PhD Senior Research Psychologist at Chestnut Health Systems & National Council member
- Michael Botticelli, Director of the Bureau of Substance Abuse Services for Massachussetts
- Gale Saler, Regional Director of Guadenzia, Inc.
- Beverly J. Haberle, Project Director for Pennsylvania Recovery Organization – Achieving Community Together (PRO-ACT)
Dennis supported CASA’s findings by illustrating several physical, emotional, and financial outcomes for untreated patients with substance abuse and addiction problems. He recommended a system of Recovery Management Checkups that would include quarterly monitoring meetings post-treatment, as well as motivational interviews for those patients that may need to return to treatment. Meanwhile, Botticelli noted the important role that the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (SAPT) Block Grant plays in providing comprehensive services and supports and stressed how imperative it is to support an increase in contributions to the grant as outcomes data shows it has helped people remain alcohol and drug free, obtain or regain employment, stay out of the criminal justice system, and find stable housing.
All speakers’ comments emphasized the importance of investing in prevention and early intervention, treatment and disease management, and expanded research, all of which are expected to save the federal, state, and local governments billions of dollars. Panelist presentations and further information about these organizations can be found online.
The National Council would like to thank the Congressional Addiction, Treatment, and Recovery Caucus for their continued support and dedication to substance abuse and addiction advocacy and initiatives.
This article was authored by Anupriya Grover, Policy Intern at the National Council.
House Passes Department of Justice Appropriations Bill; MIOTCRA and Drug Courts Included in Funding
The appropriations bill for the Department of Justice (HR 2847) was passed by the House on June 18, and sent to the Senate for consideration. HR 2847 was largely unchanged despite the large number of amendments offered on the floor. The bill includes:
- $30 million for state prison substance abuse treatment programs
- $12 million for the Mentally Ill Offender Act
- $114 million for the Second Chance Act
- $45 million for drug courts
Chairman Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI) of the Senate Appropriations Committee indicated that his committee would begin consideration of the Senate version of the Department of Justice appropriations bill on Thursday June 25. For the latest information on the FY2010 budget visit the National Council's Federal Budget Webpage. Also see the National Council's Appropriations Fact Sheet.
IN THE NEWS
Prevention Spotlight: NIDA Study Shows School-Based Prevention Program Reduces Problem Behaviors in Fifth Graders By Half, Researchers See Drop in Rates of Substance Abuse, Violence and Early Sexual Activity
A study suggests that school-based prevention programs begun in elementary school can significantly reduce problem behaviors in students. Fifth graders who previously participated in a comprehensive interactive school prevention program for one to four years were about half as likely to engage in substance abuse, violent behavior, or sexual activity as those who did not take part in the program. The study, supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), a component of the National Institutes of Health, will appear in the August 2009 print issue of the American Journal of Public Health. For more information visit NIDA’s Website.
New National Study Shows that More than 1 in 5 Young Adults Need Treatment for Alcohol or Illicit Drug Use; Study also shows that less than 1 in 10 young adults needing this treatment receive it
Nearly 7 million Americans aged 18 to 25 were classified as needing treatment in the past year for alcohol or illicit drug use according to a new national study. The study by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) also shows that that 93 percent of these young adults did not receive the help they needed at a specialty treatment facility. These levels have remained relatively stable since 2002. The report reveals substantial differences among young adults receiving specialized treatment in terms of their medical health insurance coverage. Young adults covered by Medicaid/Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) were more than three times as likely to receive treatment for alcohol or illicit drug use in a specialty facility as were their counterparts with private insurance (13.2 percent versus 4.0 percent). Young adults without insurance or with other forms of insurance also received treatment at higher levels than those with private insurance (10.6 percent and 8.7 percent respectively). The full report is available online.
Army Cracks Down as Drug and Alcohol Cases Rise
Drug and alcohol abuse in the ranks is on the rise, and Army officials say commanders are largely to blame for failing to take control of the situation. Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Chiarelli issued commanders across the service a message directing them to do a better job of getting offenders into treatment or separated from the Army. "There is a growing population of soldiers with substance abuse problems, as indicated by multiple positive urinalysis results and alcohol-related actions that have not been referred to the [Army Substance Abuse Program] by their commanders," Chiarelli said. Full article available online.
RESOURCES AND REMINDERS
Video Training Series: Understanding the Federal Drug & Alcohol Confidentiality Regulations
The training series created by the Legal Action Center enables agency staff to learn about: Requirements of the law, and some common mistakes made by program staff (Parts 1 & 2); Nine ways the law permits disclosures, including consents, court orders, and medical emergencies (Parts 1 & 2); and How to deal with criminal justice issues such as search warrants and how to handle patient information requests from managed care companies (Part 3). For more information please visit the Legal Action Center Website.
Regaining the Right to Vote Post Criminal Conviction: Department of Justice State Specific Web Resource
The Department of Justice Website provides information on if and how an individual with a criminal conviction can regain their right to vote. It includes web sites for each state or territory; if a state has posted specific information regarding the process by which individual can have his or her rights restored, the link is to that information, otherwise the link provided is to more general voter registration information for the state.
New Web-Based Evaluation Tool for Drug and DWI Courts
The Treatment Research Institute (TRI) announces release of its Court Evaluation Program, "TRI-CEP," a web-based, multi-media tool helping judges and other court officials comprehensively evaluate and justify their drug and other problem solving courts. Designed to facilitate evidence-based evaluation and continuous improvement, the highly secure TRI-CEP incorporates performance standards outlined by the National Drug Court Institute and suggested by TRI's own research. For more information visit the TRI Website.
38th Annual Summer Clinical Institute in Addiction Studies
The University of California, San Diego, Center for Criminality & Addiction Research, Training & Application (CCARTA) hosts this 3-day conference. Speakers include Hamid Ghodse, MD, Director of the United Nations International Narcotic Control Board and Professor of Psychiatry at the University of London and Dr. Phaedon Kaloterakis, Assistant Director of Kethea (Therapy Center for Dependent Individuals) in Greece as well as renowned US research scientists and clinical experts. Sessions will focus on science-based strategies on a variety of topics including Motivational Interviewing, Veterans and Trauma, and Dialectical Behavioral Treatment. More information is available online.
NIATx/SAAS Addiction Benchmarking Initiative Survey
You have probably heard about the Benchmarking for Organizational Excellence in Addiction Treatment initiative that is being sponsored by the State Associations of Addiction Services (SAAS), Behavioral Pathway Systems (BPS), and NIATx. You are invited to provide input into the dimensions that will ultimately be selected for this significant national benchmarking project. An online anonymous interest survey is currently being conducted.
It will only take you about 5-10 minutes to complete the survey but it will provide us with valuable information about areas of interest and what data is available. PLEASE NOTE that by completing this anonymous interest survey you will not obligate yourself in any way to participate in the actual benchmarking initiative. Also, please understand that this is an interest survey being used for planning purposes, not the actual benchmarking survey. In addition to helping out the addiction treatment field, you may find it useful to see what kinds of dimensions are being considered for benchmarking. Also, if you do have any possible interest in participating in the benchmarking initiative, completing this interest survey will give you a voice in what dimensions are ultimately selected.
The deadline for completing the online survey is 5:00 PM (Eastern Time), Friday, July 10, 2009. If you have any questions about the interest survey or the benchmarking initiative, please contact help@bpsys.org or 877-330-9870.
